It seems to me, although this is only my viewpoint, that except from the averge people with some crazy topics on talk shows. The people with powers given to them, politicians and the like don't have the heated arguments they used to. That's why a lot of people feel everything is so fabricated today.

That's an old clip that we've had a thread on before, if memory serves. Interesting, for sure. This was LONG before shows like Ricki Lake, Jerry Springer etc.

I can actually understand Mailer a bit, since the others are ganging up on him and have the whole audience in their back. You're bound to be defensive-aggressive then. That older woman was just annoying, trying to meddle. But Cavett is a cool cat!

It seems to me, although this only a viewpoint, i indeed could be wrong, that today all of the shouting and yelling that goes on come from the averge people with some crazy topics on talk shows, but the people with powers given to them, politicians and the like don't have the heated arguments they used to, that's why alot of people feel everything is so fabricated today.

What country do you live in? Surely not the USA! With that I will say no more, lest I venture into forbidden territory.

I love the Dick Cavett Show by the way and recommend the DVD sets out now. In particular, his interviews with Katherine Hepburn and Groucho Marx are priceless. Nothing like them since.

It seems to me, although this only a viewpoint, i indeed could be wrong, that today all of the shouting and yelling that goes on come from the averge people with some crazy topics on talk shows, but the people with powers given to them, politicians and the like don't have the heated arguments they used to, that's why alot of people feel everything is so fabricated today.

What country do you live in? Surely not the USA! With that I will say no more, lest I venture into forbidden territory.

I love the Dick Cavett Show by the way and recommend the DVD sets out now. In particular, his interviews with Katherine Hepburn and Groucho Marx are priceless. Nothing like them since.

Cavett had to buy the videotape masters of his shows back from A.B.C. for $500.00 a pop when he found out they were going to throw them away.

It seems to me, although this only a viewpoint, i indeed could be wrong, that today all of the shouting and yelling that goes on come from the averge people with some crazy topics on talk shows, but the people with powers given to them, politicians and the like don't have the heated arguments they used to, that's why alot of people feel everything is so fabricated today.

What country do you live in? Surely not the USA! With that I will say no more, lest I venture into forbidden territory.

I love the Dick Cavett Show by the way and recommend the DVD sets out now. In particular, his interviews with Katherine Hepburn and Groucho Marx are priceless. Nothing like them since.

Cavett had to buy the videotape masters of his shows back from A.B.C. for $500.00 a pop when he found out they were going to throw them away.

Thank goodness he did! Another of the classic match-ups was Richard Harris vs. Rex Reed -- they despised each other and the back-and-forth (with plenty of sexual innuendo) was the kind of stuff you'll never see on Leno or Letterman (whose shows are chiefly promotional opportunities for stars pushing their upcoming books, films and CDs).

For those 20somethings out there, late night talk shows used to have people with real personalities (famous and sometimes not famous) who entertained and had something to talk about besides their new whatever. That died with Johnny Carson's retirement, unfortunately. Some of the early shows, those with Steve Allen and Jack Paar in particular, were positively brilliant. Cavett was in the Jack Paar mode, extremely bright and well-read, a great wit and thinker on his feet, someone who could hold his own with a bright (or in the case of Mailer) boorish guest. Carson was equally entertaining but more on an everyday person level, with less emphasis on the Mailers and Vidals and more of the Dean Martin, Bob Hope and George Gobel type guests (as well as a fascinating array of new comics, animal handlers, inventors and assorted crackpots). It seems unlikely we'll ever see either type of show again, since it's all about the promotions now.

It seems to me, although this only a viewpoint, i indeed could be wrong, that today all of the shouting and yelling that goes on come from the averge people with some crazy topics on talk shows, but the people with powers given to them, politicians and the like don't have the heated arguments they used to, that's why alot of people feel everything is so fabricated today.

What country do you live in? Surely not the USA! With that I will say no more, lest I venture into forbidden territory.

I love the Dick Cavett Show by the way and recommend the DVD sets out now. In particular, his interviews with Katherine Hepburn and Groucho Marx are priceless. Nothing like them since.

Cavett had to buy the videotape masters of his shows back from A.B.C. for $500.00 a pop when he found out they were going to throw them away.

Thank goodness he did! Another of the classic match-ups was Richard Harris vs. Rex Reed -- they despised each other and the back-and-forth (with plenty of sexual innuendo) was the kind of stuff you'll never see on Leno or Letterman (whose shows are chiefly promotional opportunities for stars pushing their upcoming books, films and CDs).

For those 20somethings out there, late night talk shows used to have people with real personalities (famous and sometimes not famous) who entertained and had something to talk about besides their new whatever. That died with Johnny Carson's retirement, unfortunately. Some of the early shows, those with Steve Allen and Jack Paar in partic, and they never brought them back,ular, were positively brilliant. Cavett was in the Jack Paar mode, extremely bright and well-read, a great wit and thinker on his feet, someone who could hold his own with a (or in the case of Mailer) boorish guest. Carson was equally entertaining but more on an everyday person level, with less emphasis on the Mailers and Vidals and more of the Dean Martin, Bob Hope and George Gobel type guests (as well as a fascinating array of new comics, animal handlers, inventors and assorted crackpots). It seems unlikely we'll ever see either type of show again, since it's all about the promotions now.

Dana, you might be interested to know that Merv Griffin wanted to buy back all of the videotape masters of his late night talk show for C.B.S. (which aired from 1969 to 1972), but was infuriated that they erased them the day after the show was cancelled. Even Griffin admits he wasn't perfect when he was interviewed on "Larry King Live" and said that he let some of his friends borrow the videotape masters of his '60s afternoon talk show for Westinghouse, and they never brought them back.

As I said 2 years ago these days they just don't really go at it like they used to. It is a shame, also I can't speak for MR Mailer, but let's be honest there are small people and big people and GORE VIDAL WAS A SMALL PERSON.

As I said 2 years ago these days they just don't really go at it like they used to. It is a shame, also I can't speak for MR Mailer, but let's be honest there are small people and big people and GORE VIDAL WAS A SMALL PERSON.

As I said 2 years ago these days they just don't really go at it like they used to. It is a shame, also I can't speak for MR Mailer, but let's be honest there are small people and big people and GORE VIDAL WAS A SMALL PERSON.

As I said 2 years ago these days they just don't really go at it like they used to. It is a shame, also I can't speak for MR Mailer, but let's be honest there are small people and big people and GORE VIDAL WAS A SMALL PERSON.